1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a swiveled stirrup with a flexible and shock-absorbed footrest.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A stirrup consists of a pair of curved arms which serve as a carrier for an eye and a foot. Each arm is joined to the other at one end while the opposite ends of the arms are spaced from one another to form a U-type structure. The eye is located at the joint and the foot is disposed between the spaced ends of the arms.
The stirrup is secured to a horse by passing a strap through the eye which then serves as a holding member for the strap. In a prior-art stirrup, the arms and the foot can rotate incrementally relative to the eye between a position in which the eye is coplanar with the arms and positions in which the eye is transverse to the arms. This allows the eye to be oriented optimally such that the strap rests flat against the belly of the horse and under the leg of a rider. At the same time, the arms and the foot of the sturrup can be properly positioned to receive the boot of the rider. In some prior-art embodiments, the foot of the stirrup can also rotate relative to the arms on an axis extending between the spaced ends of the arms. The foot is rotatable forwards and backwards from a central position in which a plane defined by the arms is perpendicular to the tread of the foot. The primary reason for rotation of the foot is safety. Thus, should the rider fall off the horse backwards, the foot of the stirrup can rotate backwards to allow the boot of the rider to be released more easily from the stirrup.
The stirrup described above has a drawback related to the eye. The eye has several discrete positions relative to the arms and the foot. Once the eye is moved into one of these positions to achieve an optimal initial configuration for a rider, the eye is locked to the arms and the foot by a locking mechanism. Accordingly, the eye rotates when the foot of the rider turns or twists sideways in the stirrup. As the eye rotates, the strap passing through the eye twists so that the edges of the strap are turned towards and rub against the horse and the leg of the rider. This is uncomfortable for both the horse and the rider.
Another drawback of the preceding stirrup stems from the fact that the foot of the stirrup can rotate forwards as well as backwards from the central position. During normal use, the boot of the rider tends to push forwards with a resultant forward rotation of the foot of the stirrup. This causes the rider to experience a certain degree of instability.